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Joe D.

Joe didn't start out as a car guy; much of his teenage years were spent as a bass player, gigging local venues. When the typical teenage need for a car finally reared its head, Joe's dad made him an offer he couldn't refuse: The family's old Tempest sat in the driveway unusable. Joe's dad said, "If you can get it running, you can have it". That required Joe to absorb more automotive knowledge and that is what he did.

Joe then landed a job at the local auto parts store doing grunt work; shelf stocking, sweeping, deliveries, and more. Between studying the books during slow times and asking questions at the shops, he made deliveries, and worked his way up to counterman. He continued learning at the feet of older hot rodders, racers and shop mechanics to hone his own wrenching skills because a good parts guy understands the mechanic's lot and vice versa. Switching jobs to a fledgling high performance/speed shop, Joe delved more into the hardcore mods, such as engine assembly, in addition to the usual manifold, carb, and header stuff.

The big change came for Joe when he stepped up to work at the local Chevy dealer. Armed with experience in high performance and working on many muscle car era GM's, Joe became "that guy" people go to for GM high performance and resto parts in the area. While other dealers blew "those performance guys" off, Joe would come up with the part number. While there, giving parts out to shop mechanics, they noticed he had a knack for helping out with troubleshooting the newer computerized vehicles. He was happier "hands on" than peddling parts.

Working as a junior guy at a local repair shop, the boss quickly found that Joe was not cut out for bull work. The boss did find that Joe could read schematics and flow charts plus he fit under places like dashboards making his niche for drivability and electrical analysis obvious. To develop those skills Joe attended aftermarket training classes, the NYS ATTP (where he eventually became an instructor) to reading anything he could get his hands on from various car manufacturers.

Once he certified as ASE A1, A5, A6, A7, A8 and L1 Joe found himself working at the Standard Motor Products Tech Help line as their GM specialist. The next 12 years consisted of "fixing cars blindfolded". Joe likes to say “I am a one-eyed man in the land of the blind”.

Today MotorMouth Radio's most recent addition is a full time "Car Guy". His "day job" is with a major auto parts manufacturer answering tech questions from professional mechanics and do-it--yourselfers alike. After putting in his hours at a desk, he jumps into his rolling toolbox and visits shops to lend his diagnostics slant on problem cars they've run across during the day.

Latest MMR Show

Sunday, March 17, 2019

This week Ray talks about the easiest front end he's ever worked on, Joe relates how to remove the exhaust from a Hummer, then the finer points of rebuilding a Valiant carburetor come up. A Honda with a funky exhaust smell are only eclipsed by our alumni C.C. Switzer's new restoration project Chrysler 300 that reeks of a strong varnish smell. All in all, a typical week on MotorMouth Radio.